Putting the Open Standards to Work: Mongolia, Patagonia, and Colorado Chris Pague, Senior Conservation Ecologist © Ted Wood.

Putting the Open Standards to Work: Mongolia, Patagonia, and Colorado

Chris Pague, Senior Conservation Ecologist

© Ted Wood

Example I: Mongolia

Compatible Use of Grasslands by Humans, Livestock, and Wildlife for Thousands of Years

Things changed rather suddenly

Lifestyles -- Rapidly Changing

Conservation Methodology & Prioritization – an entrée -- 2005

Setting the stage for establ ishment of An ecological l y representative

Protected Area Network for Mongol ia.

Biodiversity GAP Anal ysis For

Mongol ia’s Eastern Steppe:

Conservation Planning with Partners and Stakeholders

2008 – CAP workshops for Toson Khulstai

Partners: WWF and WCS

Stakeholders: herders to Min. Nature and Environment

Result = conservation plan, implementation by a local advisory committee.

First Ever Gathering of People to Plan

Overall Viability SummaryTosonkhulstai Nature Reserve

Weight Weight Weight

1 Mongolian Gazelle 1 1 1 Fair

2 Mongolian marmot 1 1 1 Fair

3 Stipa Grassland 1 1 1 Fair

4 Grey Wolf 1 1 1 Fair

5 Medium-sized carnivores 1 1 1 Fair

6 Rocky outcrops and cliffs 1 1 1 Fair

7 Springs 1 1 1 Poor

8 Lakes, Ponds, Playas 1 1 1 Poor

Fair

Size

Grade

Fair

-

-

Poor

Fair

Poor

Fair

Fair

Fair

Fair

-

Poor

Good

Project Biodiversity Health Rank

-

Poor

Poor

Fair

Poor

Grade

Fair

Fair

Grade

Poor

Conservation TargetsLandscape Context

Good

Viability Rank

Condition

Poor

Fair

It was a very exciting time

Protected Area Planning & M

gt

© Chris Pague

-Established Toson Khulstai as a Demonstration Site for Open Standards

-Stimulated demand for more projects.

-Stimulated PA officials/ mgrs to US for study tour on conservation methods.

Country Standards for Protected Areas Management Planning – Open Standards

Quickly Resulted in Demand for More Planning

Miradi training for Protected Area Administration officers, 2013

We completed about 40 CAP based management plan (2012 - 2014)

Example II: Patagonia

Sustainable Grazing Initiative

Regional Scale Planning

Open Standards are enthusiastically received by many stakeholders

Results are astounding (and may show in NYC’s MoMA)

Outcomes and Challenges?

Great Interest and Enthusiasm

A Medium for Distribution Exists

BUT:

Large Scale may mismatch current application

Institutional Capacity of Country limited

Example III: Colorado/the Western U. S.

Example III: Colorado/the Western U. S.

Colorado BLM shown Open Standards

Grand Junction Office -- OS in Resource Management Planning Process

Open Standards used by BLM National Training Center since 2008

Language changed to be more BLM specific

http://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/viewresource.php?courseID=201

Example: Language Changes for use of OS by BLM

Conservation targets – priority species and vegetation

Threats – effects

Viability - health

Best Example: Dominguez Escalante National Conservation Area

Appendix A in RMP – Viability Assessment https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/33152/43170/46185/default.jsp?projectName=Dominguez-Escalante+NCA+Draft+RMP

Outcomes and Challenges?

Outcomes hard to see at this stage – high level change.

Reports that planning team more cohesive group and more indepth and richer conversations -- better strategies.

Challenges – Broad applicability.

Some offices --very traditional “multiple use” attitude.